5 Things That Make Me Happy!
What makes you happy?! How do you get the most out of your life!?
I made my list and these are 5 simple things that I am already doing that make me the most happy in my day-to-day living (and thankfully, I didn't have to do too much adjusting):
1. Get Outdoors
- Enjoy a sunset, plant a garden, sit on a patio..... Taking even 15 minutes to step out, get some fresh air and soak in the sun can refresh and re-energize you like few other things can. Rather than having dinner indoors, why not take it out to the deck/patio? Instead of watching that tv show, why not go for a walk and re-discover your neighbourhood?
2. Spend Time with Gal Pals..and Guy Pals
- Whether it's catching up at a local coffee shop over a latte, a brainstorming session in our comfies with yummy treats in someones living room, walking along the beach at the cottage or on my back deck having brunch, I cherish the time I have with my gal pals. I have been quite lucky to have had many amazing women come into my life and allow me to build a wonderful network of support, caring and life long friendships.
- I also have some key men in my life and I can't imagine life without them. I find these friendships very grounding, very real and a lot of fun! Sushi and beers with the guys is always guaranteed to be a great night!
3. Get Active
- I like to mix this with being outdoors as often as possible. Whether it's hitting the slopes, taking to the trails for a hike, walking Charlie or hitting the links for a round of golf, I really enjoy being active. Being active is also another way to spend time with friends. We have an annual Ski Bunny Weekend that lets us get together, get caught up and get active all in one weekend. Getting more active is something I do need to adjust....I need to add more activity into my life. I'm going to be starting a new exercise class (that I can't wait to try) and I have been walking in the evenings with the goal of walking 5km per day as often as possible (with the end goal of jogging 5km at least 3 times per week by my birthday).
4. Try Something New
- Whether it's a new restaurant, a new exercise class or a new recipe, I truly believe that being open to trying new things really does allow for ever evolving happiness. It's so easy to get stuck in a rut so when you find yourself feeling like that, why not grab a gal pal and try that new resto in town (like I did by heading to the Bread Bar in Guelph) or challenge yourself with a different workout. I appreciate that change can be difficult, but think of these things as new experiences, new adventures and you just never know what new activity, food, person etc you may fall in love with!
5. Always Have Fresh Flowers In Your Home
- Something as simple as fresh flowers (whether it be the $10 grocery store bouquet or a $60 bunch from a local flower shop) always brings a smile to my face as I walk in the door after a days work or when I wake up to them in the morning. It's a simple and relatively inexpensive way (ie. $10/wk) to bring colour and cheer into your home.
These are all things that bring happiness to my life, but as we all know, sometimes life gets away from us and these things somehow get moved down on the priorities list (which in turn can have unhappy consequences). In order to ensure what makes you happy is ever present in your life, this is one of my favourite things to do to always keep reminding myself of this:
- Put it in your calendar!! Yes, schedule those weekend plans with friends well in advance. This gives you something to look forward to and ensures it happens. The same goes for things like workouts/physical activity. It's so easy to come home at the end of the day, plop on the couch and call it a night. If I have something written in my calendar, it holds me accountable to it and I'm MUCH more likely to get my butt off the couch and go for that walk.
I recommend making this list of 5 'things' (or 10 things) for all aspects of your life (ie. your career, your family, life in general etc) and see how these lists either flow together or compliment each other. Being happy doesn't have to take a lot of money or be difficult. It just takes time to let yourself realize what these 'things' are that get you to your happy place and sustaining them so you maintain that level of happiness you deserve!